Chapter 30 

Bai Chen lowered his eyelashes as he looked at Zhu Yu, who had just finished washing his face. Water droplets clung to his face and scattered hair, making him look inexplicably delicate.

He reached into his pocket and took out a beautiful little gift box, about the same size as the box that holds a diamond ring.

“Here, Happy Halloween,” Bai Chen said as he handed the gift box to Zhu Yu.

Zhu Yu blinked, looking at the beautiful gift box in Bai Chen’s hand. “Huh?!!”

“When did you prepare this?!” Zhu Yu asked excitedly as he took the gift box.

Curiously, he looked at Bai Chen.

Bai Chen replied, “A few days ago.”

Zhu Yu solemnly held the gift box. “It’s candy, right?”

Bai Chen nodded, a little confused as to why Zhu Yu asked that. “Yes.”

Zhu Yu grinned, “I thought you were giving me a diamond ring.”

He made a joke and opened the gift box.

Inside were several beautiful candies, and judging by the wrapping paper, Zhu Yu guessed that these must be candies that Bai Chen had made himself.

So, in the face of such a precious handmade gift, Zhu Yu’s tone became serious. “Thank you, Senior. I’ll cherish them properly.”

“But you still have to eat them before they expire,” Bai Chen teased, his interest piqued by Zhu Yu’s casual remark. After a brief pause, he continued.

Zhu Yu smiled, “Once they’re eaten, they’re gone.”

Bai Chen replied, “I can make more for you.”

Zhu Yu’s ears twitched, his cowlick standing on end. He couldn’t suppress the smile at the corners of his lips, “What should I do, Senior Brother? I’m so happy I might faint!”

He half leaned on Bai Chen’s shoulder.

Bai Chen steadied him, “Well then, before you faint, how about you have some breakfast?”

“Yay!” Zhu Yu released Bai Chen’s wrist and took small steps toward the dining table.

Around 6 o’clock, Bai Chen was washing the dishes in the kitchen. For once, Zhu Yu didn’t go to help because he was checking the candies he had prepared earlier, only placing those with intact wrappers into his bag.

Zhu Yu always made serious preparations before doing anything he was interested in.

And this time, it was for Halloween, something he had been looking forward to for so long.

By now, Zhu Yu had already changed into the clothes he was going to wear for the evening.

It was a well-fitted, high-end tailcoat, and Zhu Yu had splattered red paint on the white shirt inside. The paint had already dried.

Although he didn’t have much muscle, his figure wasn’t bad at all—at least his butt had some shape.

He wore a white shirt with a black vest, and a black bow tie that accentuated Zhu Yu’s waistline beautifully.

He looked like a very proper gentleman.

His hair was combed back into a slick style, with only a few strands of hair hanging down in front, and he had replaced his usual earrings with skull-themed ones that matched the Halloween vibe.

He had also brought over his makeup kit.

In the nearby transparent box, there was a pair of vampire-style fake fangs.

He already looked like a budding vampire.

Strangely enough, Bai Chen was really looking forward to seeing how Zhu Yu would look after finishing his makeup.

Two hours later.

The two of them appeared together at Nes Square near the school.

It had already gotten dark.

The square was lit up by colorful neon lights.

As soon as Jon and Han Geonju entered the square, they were swept away by the crowd and lost sight of each other.

If Bai Chen hadn’t been holding onto Zhu Yu’s wrist, Zhu Yu probably would have been separated as well.

Zhu Yu’s makeup wasn’t actually very scary—perhaps because of his natural features, without many makeup tools, it was hard for him to make his face look particularly frightening.

He wore blood-red contact lenses, and his eye makeup wasn’t heavy. Below his eyes, there was a cross on each side. His face was painted with red paint, and the corners of his eyes were drawn with pumpkin lanterns. Since Zhu Yu was good at drawing, it wasn’t difficult for him to create these patterns on his face.

An art student reentering the job market, got it!

“Trick or treat.” Two children appeared and blocked their way.

The two children wore white cloaks, witch hats, and held magic wands in their hands, probably dressed as witches or wizards.

Zhu Yu placed his hands on his hips and made a deal: “If you compliment my brother here, I’ll give you some candy.”

He reached into the bag Bai Chen was carrying and pulled out two beautifully wrapped gift boxes.

For little kids, beautifully wrapped gift boxes were the ultimate temptation.

“Handsome.”

“Tall.”

“Perfect.”

The two children took turns speaking.

Bai Chen was a natural clothes hanger. The long coat didn’t seem cumbersome at all, but instead made his figure appear very slender. The black shirt inside was a bit tight, and the buttons on his chest were strained, making him look inexplicably sexy.

Of course, only Zhu Yu knew this.

Because the white scarf was enough to cover up the tightly pulled buttons on Bai Chen’s shirt.

He was wearing a bat-wing headband as requested by Zhu Yu, which looked extremely unserious, completely different from the usual Bai Chen.

It was a compliment to Bai Chen, but Zhu Yu enjoyed hearing it.

He happily handed the two gift boxes he was holding to the two little children.

“I love kids so much. They’re the only ones who give the most sincere compliments.” In order to prevent himself and Bai Chen from getting separated, Zhu Yu would tug on Bai Chen’s sleeve as they wandered around the square.

Bai Chen: “Didn’t you say you’d give candy if they compliment you?”

The crowd was too loud, so Zhu Yu stood on tiptoe and whispered in Bai Chen’s ear, “Complimenting me or complimenting you is the same, because I’m happy either way.”

Bai Chen looked at Zhu Yu, a slight movement in his eyes.

There were many street stalls set up by Chinese international students on the edge of the square.

They were selling various Halloween-themed trinkets, as well as grilled sausages and fruit drinks. Grilled sausages at street stalls were, indeed, something ingrained in Chinese culture.

Zhu Yu spent all of the part-time money he had just received without even warming it up, stuffing it all into his mouth.

“Brother, Han Geonju asked us to go to the bar on the east side of the square later. It’s full of our friends. Do you want to go?” Zhu Yu saw the message from Han Geonju and then asked Bai Chen for his opinion.

Bai Chen spent the whole evening being guided by Zhu Yu.

He still didn’t find these holidays lively or interesting, but it was only because Zhu Yu was there that it became fun for him.

His eyelashes fluttered slightly, and he leaned down to ask Zhu Yu, “Will it last long?”

“I don’t know.” Zhu Yu replied.

Bai Chen asked again, “Do you want me to go?”

Zhu Yu wore red contact lenses, and as their eyes met, Bai Chen felt that Zhu Yu’s eyes were extremely seductive, perhaps not starting today.

“Of course.” Zhu Yu nodded.

Bai Chen said, “Okay, I’ll go with you.”

“But it’s not urgent to go now. Let’s have some fun here first.” Just after saying that, Zhu Yu caught sight of someone dressed as Voldemort not far away, so he handed the balloon he bought to Bai Chen and said, “Hey! Brother, wait for me here. I’m going to take a couple of pictures with that Voldemort.”

“You hold the balloon, and I’ll be able to see you.”

“By the way, if any kids come asking for candy, you have to compliment them before you can give it to them, okay?!” Zhu Yu added, then dashed off in a flash.

Leaving Bai Chen standing there alone.

He gazed at Zhu Yu’s figure gradually running further away, his eyelashes lowering.

There were too many people.

When Zhu Yu wasn’t around, he started to feel uneasy.

It felt like everyone passing by was filled with malice.

He walked to a quieter spot, waiting for Zhu Yu to find him.

People coming and going were all in groups.

Only he was here alone now.

He began to feel like someone might be watching him from the shadows. Although it didn’t seem like a malicious gaze, Bai Chen still felt uncomfortable. He lifted his head and looked around.

Then, a childish voice suddenly came from his feet: “Trick or treat!”

Bai Chen heard the voice and lowered his head.

It was a child.

He looked up, and in the corner, there were the two children from earlier. It seemed that this little one was their friend, so the gaze he had felt earlier must have come from them.

Bai Chen smiled at the child and was about to take out a box of candy from his bag.

He suddenly remembered Zhu Yu’s request when he left, so Bai Chen paused his hand. He looked at the little boy with a hint of apology. Before he could say anything, the little boy spoke: “You’re such a handsome gentleman.”

With that, Bai Chen handed out the candy and gently ruffled the boy’s head.

Less than half a minute later, two more children came over. They seemed to be their friends as well, and they called Bai Chen a kind gentleman.

So Bai Chen handed them candy and also ruffled their heads.

Soon, several children lined up in front of Bai Chen.

He would hand out a box of candy, ruffle their heads, and then hear a “Thank you, sir.”

It seemed like Bai Chen found it enjoyable. No wonder Zhu Yu said he liked kids. Bai Chen now thought they were cute too.

Bai Chen had probably handed out about ten boxes of candy, receiving over ten different compliments in return.

Almost ten minutes had passed.

Zhu Yu still hadn’t come back to find him.

Bai Chen was about to take out his phone to ask Zhu Yu where he was. After all, with so many people and distractions here, it didn’t feel very safe.

Before he could get his phone, a familiar voice suddenly sounded in his ear:

“This handsome brother, please give me a box of candy too, QAQ.”

Zhu Yu had lowered his voice, sounding both clingy and obedient.

Bai Chen followed the voice and saw Zhu Yu smiling at him brightly.

So, Bai Chen took a box of candy from his bag and handed it to Zhu Yu. “Okay,” he responded.

But his gaze didn’t leave Zhu Yu’s face.

With the surroundings so noisy, Bai Chen could only hear his own voice and Zhu Yu’s.

The world felt quiet.

Zhu Yu took the candy and said, “Thank you, brother!”

He spoke as innocently as the other children.

Bai Chen replied, “No need to thank me.”

Zhu Yu furrowed his brows slightly and asked, “Brother, did you forget something?”

Bai Chen quickly looked down at the things at his feet. The items Zhu Yu had bought were still there, nothing was lost. He then asked in confusion, “What?”

“Aren’t you going to pat my head? Just like you did to them,” Zhu Yu said, his hands behind his back, looking up at him.

He didn’t seem to be joking.

Bai Chen’s lips moved, hesitating as he asked, “Did you see?”

Zhu Yu nodded, “Of course. There were so many kids. Why is it that when they compliment you, you give them candy and pat their heads, but when I compliment you, I only get candy?”

After taking two photos with the Voldemort, Zhu Yu walked over to Bai Chen.

As soon as he arrived, he saw a line of children in front of Bai Chen.

When Bai Chen spoke with the children, his voice was very gentle, and the patting on their heads made him seem unexpectedly… like a motherly figure.

Zhu Yu patiently waited until all the children had left before approaching.

Bai Chen said, “Then, I… also…”

Before he could finish, Zhu Yu took the initiative to grab his hand and place it on his head.

The soft, fluffy hair slipped through his fingers, teasing a certain someone’s heartstrings.

Bai Chen unconsciously moved his fingers, worried he might mess up Zhu Yu’s hairstyle. His movements were gentle, and he only rubbed it twice before pulling his hand away.

“Alright, let’s go find Han Geonju,” Zhu Yu said, completely unaware of the change in Bai Chen’s gaze.

Bai Chen pulled his hand away, but Zhu Yu grabbed his fingers and pulled him toward the bar at the east side of the square.

Actually, calling it a bar isn’t entirely accurate. It’s more like an outdoor dance floor with a lot of people.

“Why can’t I find him…” Zhu Yu said, confused.

Bai Chen leaned closer to Zhu Yu’s ear, his voice gentle: “Are you looking for someone?”

“Han Geonju, he said he’s here,” Zhu Yu bounced around in the crowd.

The next second, he was half embraced into a warm hug. Bai Chen wrapped one arm around his shoulder. “Here.”

In order to prevent Zhu Yu from being bumped by people passing by, Bai Chen nearly always kept this protective posture as they walked.

It wasn’t long before they reached Han Geonju.

Zhu Yu couldn’t help but say, “It’s good to be tall, you can see further.”

He was complimenting Bai Chen’s height.

“Zhu Yu! You finally made it!” Han Geonju rushed over and gave Zhu Yu a quick hug. He was wearing a long black wig and had a nun’s makeup on. If you didn’t look closely, it was hard to tell that Han Geonju was actually male.

Zhu Yu turned his head to the side. “Don’t mess up my makeup!”

Han Geonju chuckled softly and introduced a nearly 1.9-meter tall British guy standing next to him to Zhu Yu. “This is my boyfriend, Ken.”

Then he introduced Ken to the two of them.

Zhu Yu politely greeted him, and Bai Chen nodded slightly to Ken.

In the middle of the dance floor, many people were dancing.

Han Geonju didn’t chat with Zhu Yu for long before pulling his boyfriend onto the dance floor.

Zhu Yu, concerned that Bai Chen might get bored, didn’t follow them in.

He pulled Bai Chen to a side and sat down, eating some fruit on the table. “Senior Brother, can you dance?”

Bai Chen shook his head. “No.”

Zhu Yu smirked. “Finally, something you can’t do, Senior!”

Bai Chen smiled helplessly. “I’ve told you, there are many things I can’t do.”

“Alright.” Zhu Yu took a bite of an apple, the crunching sound loud in his mouth. “Do you want to try dancing with me?”

The people on the dance floor were mostly wearing Halloween costumes. Rather than just regular dancing, this could be called a chaotic dance of demons.

Bai Chen asked, “Can we go even if we can’t dance?”

Zhu Yu replied, “Of course! Look at those people. How many of them know how to dance? That guy has stepped on that girl’s foot almost ten times.”

“And that lady, her dance partner is teaching her.” Zhu Yu didn’t mean to mock them” he just wanted to make sure Bai Chen didn’t feel uncomfortable.

To be honest, Zhu Yu had already noticed that Bai Chen’s social life was very simple. His daily routine revolved around just two places: school and home.

So, calling Bai Chen out for this Halloween was simply to expose him to things beyond his usual routine.

After Professor Mayra’s class ended that day, Zhu Yu specifically asked her about Bai Chen.

The professor said that what Bai Chen lacked wasn’t talent, but exposure to new things, because the only way to break the norm was through encountering the “new.”

The routine of just school and home couldn’t really be called new.

Of course, Zhu Yu wasn’t a life coach. He was just a student struggling on the edge of starvation every day.

He did this because he felt that since Bai Chen had helped him so much, he should do whatever he could to help Bai Chen in return.

“Will you teach me too?” Bai Chen suddenly looked up at Zhu Yu and asked. The way he placed himself in a submissive position made Zhu Yu feel a brief sense of panic.

Before Zhu Yu could say anything, Bai Chen continued, “Teach me, Xiao Yu.”

Thump, thump.

Thump, thump, thump.

His heartbeat was unnaturally fast.

Zhu Yu jumped up from his chair as if he had been injected with adrenaline, grabbed Bai Chen’s hand, and pulled him toward the dance floor. “I’ll definitely teach you!!”

Bai Chen didn’t know how to dance freely, but he learned quickly. After Zhu Yu gave him a few pointers, Bai Chen grasped the key points.

However, they didn’t dance for long. Zhu Yu got tired.

So, they ended up sitting back on the side, watching the people in the dance floor. Zhu Yu ate all the fruit from the platter, and while Bai Chen wasn’t paying attention, several glasses of wine were also consumed by Zhu Yu.

“Senior Brother, let’s go home.” The alcohol hadn’t hit him yet, and Zhu Yu was still very clear-headed.

Bai Chen reached out to help him, but Zhu Yu said, “But I need to go to the bathroom first.”

The bathroom was just a short distance behind them, so Zhu Yu asked Bai Chen to wait for him here.

Bai Chen agreed.

After Zhu Yu entered the restroom, Bai Chen kept his eyes on the door.

“Hello, handsome sir, maybe we could have a pleasant evening,” a voice suddenly spoke in Bai Chen’s ear. He turned to see a blonde, blue-eyed, hot British beauty standing next to him.

She was holding two glasses of red wine and offered one to him.

Bai Chen politely smiled and declined, “Sorry…”

Before he could finish, someone suddenly appeared behind him. The person hooked his arm, and Zhu Yu’s voice rang out, “Sorry, he’s my daddy.”

Bai Chen’s pupils suddenly constricted. When Zhu Yu spoke in English, there was a certain seductive quality to his voice. Maybe it was because of the alcohol, but despite the youthful tone, there was also something alluring about it.

Of course, what shocked Bai Chen the most was what Zhu Yu said.

The young lady didn’t feel awkward at all. She looked at the two of them, smiling knowingly, “I wish you both a wonderful evening.”

After saying that, she shoved something wrapped in a square package into Bai Chen’s hand.

Zhu Yu lowered his head to look, “What is this?”

Bai Chen also raised his hand. Before Zhu Yu could clearly see what it was, Bai Chen quickly stuffed it back into his pocket.

His ears turned an unnatural shade of red. “Nothing, just the hotel’s contact information.”

Zhu Yu simply said, “Oh,” and then added, “Let’s go home.”

From his tone, it seemed like the alcohol had started to take effect. If it hadn’t been for the alcohol, Zhu Yu probably wouldn’t have said what he just did.

Bai Chen agreed. He reached out with one hand to steady the swaying Zhu Yu and grabbed the items Zhu Yu had bought from the ground with the other hand.

The alcohol had really hit him hard.

Zhu Yu left the place, and on the way back, the wind blew, making him so drunk that he could barely keep his balance.

So, inevitably, Bai Chen ended up carrying him on his back.

Zhu Yu lay obediently on Bai Chen’s back, not being too troublesome.

He just kept talking.

“Senior Brother, where’s Liu Bo?”

“Liu Bo’s at home.”

“Senior Brother, where’s Senior?”

“Senior’s carrying you.”

“Senior Brother, woo, I don’t want to go home, I don’t want to leave you!!” Zhu Yu seemed to have recalled something sad.

Bai Chen’s expression froze for a moment. “Even if you go home, we’ll still stay in touch.”

“I don’t want to leave you,” Zhu Yu sobbed.

Bai Chen reassured him, “You won’t leave.”

Bai Chen tried his best to comfort Zhu Yu.

Zhu Yu hummed and suddenly fixed his gaze on the mole behind Bai Chen’s ear.

He furrowed his brows, tightened his arms around Bai Chen’s neck, and leaned his head close to Bai Chen’s ear.

“Senior…” Zhu Yu murmured quietly.

“Mm?” Bai Chen responded.

“It… is moving?” Zhu Yu asked.

“What?” Bai Chen was puzzled.

Just as he replied, he suddenly felt a warm and wet sensation behind his ear. Amid the warmth, he also sensed something cool in the middle.

Was that Zhu Yu’s tongue piercing?!

The mole was gently licked by Zhu Yu.

The tongue piercing lightly brushed over it, and the sensation of silver against skin made Bai Chen realize this was no hallucination.

Bai Chen froze in place, and Zhu Yu whispered softly in his ear, “It’s not moving anymore, hmph.”

He even let out a proud little laugh.